About Western Rivers Forestry
Western Rivers Conservancy buys land along the West’s finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, protect key sources of cold water and provide public access for all to enjoy.
Focus Areas
river and stream land acquisitionfish and wildlife habitat conservationcold water source protectionpublic recreational accesstribal nation partnershipsconservation finance and stewardship
Who They Fund
tribal nations / tribal communitiesaquatic and riparian ecosystems (fish & wildlife)recreational river users / local publicdownstream river-dependent communities
Funding Style
About Western Rivers Forestry
Western Rivers Forestry’s recent giving is dominated by a single 2024 grant of $1,983,963 to Western Rivers Conservancy for support of its mission. That grant aligns with the foundation’s core identity: land acquisition along rivers and streams in the West to conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, protect cold-water sources, and preserve public access. The funder’s stated focus areas point to a place-based conservation strategy that combines riverfront land acquisition, riparian habitat protection, ecological restoration, and stewardship of conserved lands. It also shows an emphasis on permanent protection, using conservation easements and fee-simple acquisition rather than short-term project support. The foundation’s taxonomy and beneficiary profile make its priorities clear. It funds aquatic and riparian ecosystems, river-dependent communities, and recreational users, with tribal nation partnerships as an explicit part of its work. Programmatically, that means Western Rivers Forestry is not a generalist environmental funder; it is oriented toward protecting specific landscapes and the people and species connected to them. The current grant record reflects a large-capital approach to conservation, paired with a broader agenda of stewardship and public access.
What Western Rivers Forestry Funds
A central theme in Western Rivers Forestry’s giving is riverfront land protection. The foundation’s focus includes river and stream land acquisition, riparian and wetland conservation, and fish and wildlife habitat protection, with grants designed to support permanent conservation rather than short-lived projects. The foundation also backs work tied to water security and watershed function. Its stated priorities include cold water source protection, ecological restoration projects, and downstream river-dependent communities, showing interest in the systems that keep rivers functioning over time. Tribal partnerships are another explicit part of its grantmaking. The foundation lists tribal nation partnerships, tribal land transfers, and tribal communities among its priorities, and its active San Luis Valley Conservation and Connection Initiative supports land and water conservation, acequia protection, restoration, and habitat work in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Public use is part of the model as well. The beneficiary list includes recreational river users and the local public, matching the foundation’s stated goal of providing public access to conserved river lands.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$22.5M
Total Assets
$0
Total Revenue
$2.7M
Total Expenses
$22.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $2M and $2M, with a median of $2M.
25th Percentile
$2M
Median
$2M
75th Percentile
$2M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
SUE DOROFF
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